Due to financial reasons, women are less likely than men to adhere to medical follow-up visits, medications and diagnostics, according to new research from the University of Chicago Medicine.

Analyzing a national sample of more than 26,000 men and women in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, researchers found 26.2 percent of women and 19.8 percent of men reported cost-related non-adherence to medical care.

Researchers also found that 12 percent of women and 8 percent of men found it very difficult to cover health expenses and all of their medical bills.

"Women also had higher rates of having one or more financially dependent children, which adds to their economic pressure," said Zhang. "All those factors contributed to the worsening of non-adherence to medical care among women."

The study, titled "The differential rates in cost-related non-adherence to medical care by gender in the U.S. adult population," was published May 19 in the Journal of Medical Economics. Co-authors include James Crowe and David Meltzer, both of the University of Chicago.